Senior IAS officer arrested in Gulmarg land scam case

Senior IAS officer Baseer Ahmad Khan was today arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Organisation for allegedly misusing his official position for illegal transfer of government land in Gulmarg worth crores of rupees.

Khan was produced before the court of Special Judge, Anti-corruption, here and the charge sheet against him was presented, the officer said.

The court released the IAS officer on bail and allowed him to report back to duty at Kishtwar, he said.

The officer said the SVO received sanction from the Centre for prosecution of Khan on Friday.

Khan, who was Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar till March, was removed on the orders of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court which is hearing a public interest litigation in Gulmarg land scam case.

Five other accused officers, who have retired from service, have already been charge sheeted in the case. Among the accused is then Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Mehboob Iqbal, who has since joined PDP.

The SVO had registered a case against senior officials of the government in 2009 for allegedly misusing official position for illegal transfer of government land in Gulmarg worth crores of rupees by misusing provisions of the J&K State Land, (Vesting of Ownership Rights to the Occupants) Act, 2001, also known as Roshni Act.